Opening Signal for Youth Leadership
In Juba, a high-level roundtable on the Youth, Peace and Security agenda opened by urging South Sudan’s young citizens to spearhead reconciliation, echoing UN Security Council Resolution 2250 and setting an assertive tone for the two-day forum.
South Sudan’s Youth Majority as a Peace Asset
Ministry of Youth and Sports official Diang Bichok Goah reminded delegates that more than seventy percent of the population is under thirty, framing the demographic surge as a strategic resource rather than a challenge.
Young Voices Demand Skills and Protection
Thess Marial Rong, representing the National Youth Union, argued that peace means opportunity and dignity, urging programs that secure jobs, training and personal safety so that youth become recognised agents of change instead of passive recipients.
Sports, Media and Clean-ups Build Unity
The roundtable capped a week of football matches, radio debates and city clean-ups held for International Youth Day, events organisers say fostered camaraderie across ethnic lines while spotlighting practical contributions young people already make to community wellbeing.
Volunteers Extend the Peace Dividend
Speakers applauded the South Sudan Red Cross, whose eighteen-thousand volunteers, many under twenty-five, deliver first aid, mediation and disaster relief, demonstrating how structured service channels youth energy into tangible peace dividends.
Government, UN and Civil Society Align on Action
A joint statement from ministries, UN offices and civil society closed the meeting, insisting that discussions translate into concrete projects monitored by young leaders themselves, from local governance forums to entrepreneurship hubs.
Road Ahead for Resolution 2250
Participants agreed to draft a national action plan that will anchor Resolution 2250 in budgets and curricula, a step they believe can turn South Sudan’s youthful demographic into the cornerstone of durable peace.